Emu Shepherd's Pie (By Sarah Terry - Amaroo Hills)

Amaroo Hills

Amaroo Hills Emu Shepherd's Pie

 

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS:

Mashed potatoes:
3lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes
4 oz (5 slices) of Follow Your Heart gouda cheese* - finely diced (optional)
½ cup (6 TBS) non-dairy butter*
¼ cup chives, minced
1½ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. white pepper
½ cup unsweetened soy milk (or almond milk)
2 egg yolks
 
Stew:
Canola oil
1lb Amaroo Hills Emu Ground
½ large onion, finely minced
4 medium carrots, shredded with a food processor or a grater
6 rosemary sprigs
15 thyme sprigs
3 tsp garlic, minced
1 TBS tomato paste
1 TBS all-purpose flour
1 cup mushroom stock
1 cup chicken stock
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
3 TBS grape juice (or 3TBS of red wine*)
1½ cups frozen peas, or fresh canned peas

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mashed Potatoes:

  1. Peel 3 lbs. of potatoes (or leave the skins on if desired) and cut each potato into 4-6 equal size pieces. Put all potatoes in a large pot. Fill with water to cover the potatoes. Heat water on high heat. When water comes to a rolling boil, let cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft and easily pierced with a knife or fork.
  2. Strain potatoes, and place back in the warm pot. Put heat on low and stir potatoes until they have dried out for about 1 minute.
  3. Turn burner off and add butter, cheese (optional), and chives. Smash potatoes with a masher or a potato ricer. Add in salt and pepper and mix until incorporated. Add egg yolks and milk and mix in.

Stew:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. If using frozen peas, place them in a strainer and rinse with water. In a medium to large skillet or pan, cook peas on medium heat with 1-2 TBS of canola oil for 2-3 minutes or until soft and warm. Remove from skillet and set aside. If using canned peas, strain and reserve for assembling in the pie.
  3. In the same pan, sauté ground emu with 3 TBS of canola oil, 1 tsp of chopped rosemary, and 1 tsp of thyme until emu is browned and no pink is left in the meat. Remove meat from skillet/pan.
  4. In the same skillet/pan, sauté onions and carrots with 3 TBS of canola onion on medium to medium-low heat, until softened about 3-4 minutes. Stir in remaining rosemary and thyme along with the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes longer. Once incorporated, sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir in, cooking until the raw flour smell is gone (about 2-3 more minutes).
  5. Add ground emu to the sautéed vegetables, along with the broth, Worcestershire sauce, and grape juice. Leaving some moisture, cook until liquid has almost soaked up and cooked into the stew.

Assembling the pie:

  1. In a 9X13, 3inch deep casserole dish, spoon in stew and peas. Finally, with a spatula, dollop the mashed potatoes spaciously on top. Roughly smooth out potatoes with the spatula until the entire top of the pie is covered in a potato layer.
  2. Place pie in the preheated oven and cook until potatoes are browned on top (roughly 30 minutes).
  3. Let the pie cool for 5 minutes. Garnish each serving with fresh parsley if desired. 

 Notes

*Follow your heart Gouda cheese can be found at Walmart and Publix. If no allergy or sensitivity to cheese exists, an Irish white cheddar or true smoked gouda (shredded) is recommended.

*Non-dairy Butter Alternatives

    • Earth Balance - Vegan Butter found @ Walmart, Publix, Kroger, and Amazon
    • I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter It’s Vegan found @ Walmart and Publix
    • Crock Country Plant Butter found @ Walmart, Publix, and Kroger

*If no allergy or sensitivity to alcohol exists, use a red wine in substitution for grape juice if desired. A merlot, or pinot noir is recommended